Is your Mass Effect Legendary Edition crashing on Xbox? This might be the cause

Mass Effect Legendary Worm Dude
Mass Effect Legendary Worm Dude (Image credit: Windows Central)

Mass Effect Legendary Edition is launching as I write this, bringing Mass Effect 1, 2, and 3 into one glorious remastered package. I've been playing through the original Mass Effect on Insane difficulty, and the new lighting, combat mechanics, and polished UI are surprisingly transformative. What is less-than-transformative is this annoying bug, though.

As acknowledged on EA's support forum, Mass Effect Legendary Edition has a strange crashing bug on Xbox, which is reportedly triggered by wireless headsets (like these from our awesome best Xbox wireless headsets post which you should definitely read.)

We have identified an issue for Mass Effect Legendary Edition on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, where the game will exit to the dashboard if booted while different accessories like wireless headsets are connected.We're currently working with Microsoft to fix this ASAP in a post-launch update. In the meantime to start playing the game, we recommend you do not use any extra peripherals until this is resolved. Wired headphones are still ok to use.

EA recommends a range of workarounds while they work to fix the issue.

  1. Make sure your wireless headset is turned off.
  2. Launch Mass Effect from the dashboard.
  3. Enter one of the games from the launcher menu.
  4. Once you're on the title screen of any of the three games, you can now turn on and connect your headset.

If you return to the launcher with a wireless headset connected, it will cause the game to crash.

I have no idea what could possibly cause this bug, but it may be to do with the launcher system that allows you to install each game separately. Not many games have this feature, so perhaps there are still some strange anomalies Microsoft needs to address.

Either way, follow the steps above and you should be good, until they fix it up properly. For more details on what enhancements the Mass Effect Legendary Edition has head over here.

Learn more secrets and tips for Mass Effect Legendary Edition.

CATEGORIES
Jez Corden
Executive Editor

Jez Corden is the Executive Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by tea. Follow on Twitter (X) and Threads, and listen to his XB2 Podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!

Read more
Hooded character in metal armor and mask with glowing eyes
Here are all of Avowed's known bugs and glitches that we've identified, along with some potential fixes
Best Xbox Headsets 2025 logo, with a Turtle Beach Stealth 700 (Gen 3) photograph on a home office background
Best Xbox headsets in 2025: I've spent 10 years reviewing headsets, and these are the ones you should buy
Screenshot of Avowed running on Xbox Series X.
Avowed's latest update fixes crashing issues and removes quest blockers in Obsidian's Xbox RPG
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 says the Galactic War is on hold because a bug was making it too easy, and the devs don't have an ETA for a fix (UPDATE: It's fixed)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Season 2 screenshots and teasers.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone's latest update is causing BSOD errors — here's a workaround you can try
Avowed totem locations
Obsidian is trolling all of us by disabling one of Avowed's most useful settings by default, and we're mad about it
Latest in Xbox
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 accessibility settings at launch.
Activision user research workers form union under Microsoft
Xbox Game Hubs 2025
A quick look at Xbox's new "Game Hubs," a small new feature that may be more meaningful than you think
8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard Xbox Edition
Drop everything — the Xbox keyboard is on sale
Xbox
Microsoft's Xbox strategy has reader opinions split almost perfectly in half
Xbox Series X
Xbox testing new Game Hubs feature, update rolling out to select users now
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Indy and Gina
Xbox's Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to PlayStation 5 in April
Latest in How-to
The First Berserker: Khazan
Is The First Berserker: Khazan on Xbox Game Pass?
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on Xbox Game Pass?
A close-up of Hazel in South of Midnight
Is South of Midnight on Xbox Game Pass?
Atomfall screenshot
Atomfall: How to grab the best melee weapon and melee perk right away
Atomfall District B
Atomfall: How to open District B, get inside the Robot Facility, and grab the Signal Redirector
Atomfall District A photo
Atomfall: How to open District A and get inside the Medical Facility